Chief Business Officer, Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO)

Posting Number SF02081

Job Title Chief Business Officer, Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO)

Position Number 107479

FTE 1.00

FLSA Exempt

Position Type Professional Staff

Union Non-Union Non-Classified Staff

Pay Grade Level Grade Level: 16

Pay Grade Range Anticipated Hiring Salary Range: $129,000 – $132,500

Status Calendar Year, Full-time, Permanent

Department GSO Dean

Contact(s)

Please note: Job applications must be submitted directly online only at: (https://jobs.uri.edu)

Contact Phone/Extension

Contact Email

Physical Demands

Campus Location Kingston

Grant Funded No

Extension Contingency Notes

Job Description Summary

The search will remain open until the position has been filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by November 1, 2025. Applications received after November 1, 2025 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.

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About URI:

The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State’s flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community. URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City.

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THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE IS POSSIBLE AFTER SIX MONTHS.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Provide general management of the Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO), including, but not limited to, State, Federal, and private funding sources. Advise and support the GSO Dean’s Office in the appropriate generation, management, and use of College resources. Develop strategies and recommendations around maximizing resources. Coordinate budget and personnel administration with other University units. Promote the adherence to prescribed Federal, State, and institutional policies and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervise and monitor routine business (financial and personnel) functions for all units within the Graduate School of Oceanography. Interpret and provide advice/recommendations regarding URI budget, accounting, administrative, and personnel policies and procedures to faculty, staff, and students. Provide training and assistance to support staff as required.

Supervise and coordinate all business office personnel and functions.

Plan, prepare, and present all GSO state and overhead budgets in consultation with the GSO Dean’s Office.

Develop innovative and entrepreneurial strategies to identify areas of growth and efficiency for the College. Review and approve financial strategy and plans related to proposed academic and research programs.

Serve as College’s subject matter expert on the university budget model (UBM), recommending strategies for maximizing both short and long-term resources.

Represent the GSO Dean’s Office regarding fiscal, business, administrative, and personnel activities within the University and with outside agencies/institutions.

Serve as the Dean’s designated signatory for GSO financial and personnel documents.

Serve as the Dean’s backup reviewer/approver for GSO research proposals and for signing them on his/her behalf.

Provide budget approval for all procurement and personnel transactions on all NBC/GSO state, overhead, and URI Foundation funds.

Maintain fiscal and personnel databases and organizational charts for the NBC/GSO.

Oversee the reconciliation of budgets and accounts with the University’s financial records and compare actual revenues and expenditures against approved budgets. Report analysis of fiscal year and projection results to the GSO Dean and others responsible for NBC/GSO accounts.

Supervise preparation and processing of personnel and payroll forms, and related operations and maintenance of records.

Supervise the custodian of the NBC/GSO petty cash fund.

Provide ad-hoc analyses, reports, and statistics to college leadership related to financial and administrative matters as requested.

Compile and maintain reports on GSO tenure track and research faculty and marine research scientists’ overhead earnings, GSO faculty startup funds, and other reports as requested.

Make recommendations to GSO Academic Affairs Office regarding the amount of private funds available for student awards and fellowships, and process paperwork for distribution of same.

Provide support to the University’s Division of Academic Affairs, ensuring compliance by GSO faculty and staff with prescribed Federal, State, and institutional policies and procedures, including adherence to generally accepted accounting principles.

Serve on various NBC/GSO and URI committees as required and/or requested.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Serve as GSO’s primary point of contact regarding upgrades of the PeopleSoft, Workday, RhodyBuy, or other appropriate University administrative/financial/personnel systems.

Perform other related duties as assigned by the Dean.

LICENSES, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT:

Personal computers, printers; word processing, database management and spreadsheet software. Microsoft Office Suite. Oracle, PeopleSoft, Banner.

Required Qualifications

REQUIRED:

1. Master’s degree in business or public administration, finance, management, or related field.

2. Minimum of five years of demonstrated and increasingly responsible professional experience in complex business/administrative logistical support.

3. Strong verbal and interpersonal communication skills.

4. Proficiency in written communication skills.

5. Knowledge of budgetary processes and analyses.

6. Administrative and organizational skills.

7. Ability to work independently.

8. Supervisory experience.

9. Experience in use of computer spreadsheet, database, and word processing programs (i.e. Microsoft Office Suite, etc.).

10. Experience with enterprise resource planning systems (e.g., Oracle, PeopleSoft, Banner).

11. Ability to synthesize complex information and produce financial/business written and visual reports in a clear, concise manner.

12. Ability to work with diverse groups/populations.

Preferred Qualifications

PREFERRED:

• Minimum of five years of increasingly responsible professional experience in complex business/administrative logistical support in a university, college, government, or similar setting.

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URI is unwavering in its commitment to equal opportunity, community, equity, and diversity. In furtherance of its mission to serve and support all learners as the state’s public flagship university, URI continues to expand efforts to recruit and retain a broadly representative workforce as well as to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of those efforts.

All employment decisions, including hiring, are made without regard to protected status. Qualified individuals with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting the URI benefits office at 401-874-2416. For TTY assistance, contact R.I. Relay Services at 711.

Environmental Conditions

This position is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Posting Date 10/23/2025

Closing Date

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please attach the following 2 (PDF) documents to your online Employment Application:

(#1) Cover letter.

(#2) Resume.

Note: References will be upon request by the committee.

Quicklink for Posting https://jobs.uri.edu/postings/15848

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